Washing-machine



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet l.

G. I-I. THOMPSON & W. H. ROTHBRMEL.

WASHING MACHINE.

No. 340,168. Patented Apr. 20, 1886.

Nv Puna, PM10-ummm. wmm'm n c (No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. G. H. THOMPSON 8u W. H. ROTHERMEL.

WASHING MACHINE.

No. 340,168. Patented Apr. 20, 1886.

, others skilled inthe art to which it appertains F combinations ol devices, which will he read- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

iEORtlhl HENRY THOMPSON, OF READING, ANI) VIIJIIIAM H. ROTHERMEL, OF MA IDEN CREEK, FENNSYLYANIA.

- WASHING-MACHINE.

CFEPICAION forming part of Letters Application tiled November l0, 1885.

.To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that we, GEORGE It. TnoMrsoN and XVILLIAM H. ROTHERMEL, of Readi ng and Maiden Creek, respectively, in the county of erks andStateot1 Pennsylvania, have invent ed certain new and uset'ul Improvements in lashing-)lachincs; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to that class ot' washing-machines in which the clothing and other articles washed arc subjected to the rolling pressure ot' rollers in the suds instead of being rubbed, and its Objectis to provide a machine et' this class with an improved reticulated supporting-bed for the articles to be washed, and to provide such machines with auto matic soap -distril;n1ters, whereby soap will be continuously applied lo the articles being washed.

W'ith these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel constructions and ily understood from the following particular description, and the novel features ol' which will be detiuitely pointed out in the appended claims.

.In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view ot our improved washiugmachi ne closed. Fig. 2 is a similar view ol the same with the lid raised. Fig. 3 is a detached view of one of the staples l'or supporting the rollers and soap-boxes. Fig. l is a longitudinal section through the roller-supporting bar and rollers, and also through the lid and bevel gear-wheel above the same: Fig. 5 is a detached view of one of the soap-boxes. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the rotary bar with a modified arrangement ot' corrugated rollers.

The letter A indicates the body or box of the machine, which is mounted on legs a a; and (l is the lid hinged te the top edge of one side wall ofthe box. W'ithiu the box sits a round basket, F, of wicker-work. It may be woven of splints, rattan, or willow, or et' any other material1 so that it will be elastic, but firm enough to well hold its shape. The basket is of such diameter that it fits tightly in the box and presses against the t'our Patent No. 340,168, dated April 20, 1886 Serial Nu. l'-2,l24. (No model.)

sides thereof. This basket forms the bed which supports the articles being washed. A stout bar, F, vireferably of wood, is arranged directly under the lid C, heilig [irmly secured to a spindle, G', which extends up through a thimble, Il, which is tixed at the center of the lid. Above the lid a horizontal bevel gear-wheel, Il, is fixed upon the spindle, and with it meshes a vertical bevelgear, I, mounted on a horizontal truuuion, lf, which has its bearing in a sleeve, I, supported on short legs nt.

To one end of the trunnion lr, or to the gear I, is fixed a handle, N, by which said gear may be rocked and motion transmitted from it through the bevel-gearH and spindle to the bar F, which may be thus rotated alternately in opposite directions.

On opposite sides ol middle point of bar F are secured downwardly-projecting staplelike frames of metal-such as shown at P in Fig. 3said frames having shoulders q, ot' india-rubber, secured around their corners.

Loosely surrounding the legs ofthe frames P, above the shoulders q, are corrugated rollers Il., which may be made of any suitable ma terial--say brass, iron, or wood.

Upon the cross-bars which connect the lower ends of the legs of frames 1 the soapboxes S are mounted between shoulders q q. Each soap-box is perforated with numerous holes, and is preferably shaped as a lougi tudinally-corrugated oblate ellipsoid, though it may be simply cylindrical with rounded ends, and each is divided longitudinally into two halves tilting together like a pill-box with the edge of one entering tightly in the other. Fach hal lbox has its wall at its ends cutaway to form a semicircular recess or haltbearing, so that the halfboxes maybe put together around the cross-bars of the frames F to form complete boxes revolublc on said cross-bars.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The articles to be washed are placed in the basket (l, and the box is supplied with a suiiieicnt quantity of water to cover them, the soap-boxes are titled with soap, preferably finely cut, and placed on the cross-bars of the frames, and the lid (l being then shut down the handle N is vibrated back and forth.

anieter than the gear H on the spindle G, the bar F carried by said spindle makes about a complete rotation for eaeh half-vibration ot the handle, the rotations of [he bar being alternately in opposite directions. During the rotations of the bar the Corrugated rollers R press the clothes against the wall ofthe basket, and squeeze them tightly as they roll, causing,` the water to surge through the clothes, and also through the interstices of the basket, whieh on account of this permitting oi' the water to pass, and owing to its i elasticity, we liud to be i'ar preferable to rigid iinpert'orate beds, either corrugated or plain. The rubber-shoulders q q drag the clothes back and forth,eontiunally changing their position, so that a different portion ot' the mass is presented to the rollers at each rotation thereof. As the rollers artl revolved the soapboxes roll over these portions of the elothes which are at the bottoni of the basket, applying soap evenly and plentit'uily to them as the water is foreed through the boxes, so that as the articles at the betteln are dragged along,r l and in turn caught by the rollers they will be well soaped and ready for the squeezing ari-i ion of said rollers.

The box is provided with a plug', t, so that i the water may be drawn oft' when desired, i

VIn Fig. t is shown a modified arrangement of the corrugated rollers on the rotating bar F. Between the two rollers lt t ot' each pair i a piu, p, projects downward i'ronl the bar, and upon said pin is loosely mounted a eori rugated roller, It', of a diameter to nearly till the spaee between the two rollers It lt while being clear of the soap box below. ,llhisi large roller operates upon clothes in the same manner as the others, and greatly iaeilitates the Washing'. though it is not absolntely neo i essary.

The bevel-gear 1 being,r ninch greater in di x Te do not confine onrseives to the precise details of construction as shown in our drawings, but may vary the same in any manner i'or the better carrying out of the principle of our invention without departing from the true spirit thereof. For instance, we may substitute for the woven basket a zinc or other metallic corrugated and perforated box or pan otx similar shape.

Marini@l` fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire. to seeure by Letters Patent, is

l. in a washing-inaehinc, the eombinatiou, with the box, ot' the reticulated or perforated iuelosed basket, the rotary bar and looselymounted rollers depending therefrom, and mechanism for supporting and rotating;` said bar, substantially as described.

L. In a washingauachiue, the combination. with the box, its lid, and the rotary support pivoted to the under side oil said lid, ot' the staplelikc frames depending from said rotary support, and the corrugated rollers and soapboxes mounted on said frames, substantially as described.

3. In a washingmachine, the eonibination, with a revolving clothes pressing device, ot' the loose perforated soap-boxes, substautialiy described.

l. In a washiuganachine ol' the kind described, the combination,with the rotary bar, ot' ille depending,r staple-bke frames having the elastic shoulders ,r q. and the eorrugatell loose rollers, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specilication in the presenee o|` two snhserihing witnesses.

GEORGE lllN RY liiOililSUN- Wl Lida )i il` lU'PiItltMlCL. la' illnesses:

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